UPDATE: The July 19 public forum has been rescheduled to Aug. 9 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Back in January, the Hampton Roads Sanitation District took over most of the former Lambert’s Point Golf Course on the Norfolk waterfront next to Old Dominion University, after buying the property from the city for $30 million for a new sustainable water initiative.
HRSD acquired 40.3 acres at the site, which used to be a solid waste landfill before converting to a nine-holf golf course in 2005, but a 15.1-acre portion that includes the course’s clubhouse, most of the driving range and portions of holes one and nine are still under city control. There’s also land set aside along the water for public access.
The city’s now asking for public input on what to do with the city-owned portion. Options are limited because of the site’s past, but many residents are hoping at least some of the property can be used as an outdoor public space.
Of the 52 responses to an online public survey as of July 13, about two-thirds said they’d like to see it become a park with green space, areas for walking, biking, kayaking, and possibly a playground. Others are hoping for an outdoor track, basketball hoops and and a spot for live music.
“I golfed at the site for many years, and I love the space,” said one respondent. “It would be such a shame to see it privatized. It has a natural connection to the Elizabeth River Trail, and provides a beautiful view of the Elizabeth River, as well as the mouth of the Lafayette River. While golfing there, I was able to enjoy watching small sailboat races, a variety of waterfowl, beautiful sunsets, as well as larger boat traffic on the Elizabeth River.”
Several are also hoping to keep at least the driving range portion, and open it up to the public. It’s currently only being used by ODU’s golf teams.
“Please retain its use as a golf practice facility. Norfolk has no other full golf practice complex. No other full-distance driving range exists in Norfolk (Sewells point has distance & club size restrictions and Ocean view has no range),” wrote another respondent. “… while the region has many private golf facilities, Norfolk can lead the way providing one open and accessible to all. The City should consider partnering with First Tee or a similar group focused on involving urban youth in golf, as well as ODU.”
ODU head men’s golf coach Murray Rudisill says that while ODU no longer has the full nine-hole practice facility (the men’s and women’s squads now practice at various local clubs) it would “hurt us a lot” in recruiting if they were to lose the rest of the Lambert’s Point facilities (the driving range, clubhouse and short game practice areas).
He says he knows moving forward may likely involve some sort of compromise, but he’s hoping to find a way to keep the programs’ top priorities in the clubhouse (which serves as a headquarters for both teams) and the driving range.
“We’re hoping to work out a deal.”
Though Brian Friedman with the Lambert’s Point City Park Steering Committee, a grassroots group of locals who came together to ask Norfolk to keep the entire 15-acre space as a city park, thinks keeping the golf areas just isn’t feasible due to the cramped confines of the space.
“I think it would be behoove the city to make all 15 acres of the parcel available to its citizens … if you cut [the space] what do you have left? asked Friedman, whose petition to establish the new city park has over 3,500 signatures between in-person door knocking and online at change.org.
“Do the right thing, it’s for future of the city’s residents and future generations, craving good park land and green spaces to spend time in,” he added.
Whether or not the golf portion remains, one thing that seems likely is the city connecting the existing Elizabeth River Trail, a 10.5-mile bike and walking path that runs from the Harbor Park area up to Norfolk International Terminals, to that public access way along the river.
Kindra Greene with the Elizabeth River Trail Foundation, which recently submitted a statement to the city’s manager’s office, says the foundation “strongly advocates that the space have public, open access for recreation and green space, and we strongly advocate for the public and future generations to be able to obtain that connection with the waterfront and really be able to hold up Norfolk up as a model resilient coastal city with that green space.”
Greene says ERT would “absolutely love” to connect the trail to the waterfront, which would be around a 1.6-mile addition, but they want to hear from the public before coming up with any concrete plans.
“We’re really anxious to see how the community forum brings everyone’s voices together, and then go from there.”
As for concerns over the golf areas, Greene says “there’s ways for this property to be a win-win for all parties involved, but I think that’s it’s really, really important that the city hear everybody’s perspective.”
Overall, Greene says “what really makes the Elizabeth River Trail unique is that so much of our waterfront in Norfolk is restricted, that we cannot access, and that the fact that we have this area that would provide that open access to our working waterfront and highlights what we have, we can’t lose that.”
“Up on the river at the former Lambert’s Point golf course, the sunsets are free, it’s one beautiful vista up there,” said Friedman.
If you’d like to submit your input, you can fill out the online survey on the city’s website. There’s also a public form coming up about the plan on Wednesday, July 19 from 6-8 p.m. at 4301 Powhatan Avenue. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP.